Stars Hollow

Stars HOLLA!

As a papercut artist I'm always looking for ways to combine my craft with my interests... And with the news of the upcoming Gilmore Girls Netflix reboot, and 183 episodes of the Gilmore Guys podcast under my belt, a Gilmore Girls themed papercut seemed inevitable...

 

As all Gillies know, Gilmore Girls is set in the fictional small town of Stars Hollow, located approximately 30 minutes from Hartford in Connecticut.

I love personalised maps, and since my search for a Stars Hollow papercut map turned up zero results I began plotting to cut one out... I used an aerial photograph of the Warner Brothers studio back lot (where the show is filmed) to ensure the correct locations of the buildings.

 

Many of the houses and businesses within Stars Hollow have distinct exteriors, although perhaps only an avid Gilmore Girls viewer could distinguish them all... For this reason I sprinkled identifying symbols and initials across the map.

For example, Luke's Diner is topped with the recognisable coffee cup logo, Miss Patty's School of Ballet has a pair of ballet slippers, and Taylor Doose's Old-Fashioned Soda Shoppe has an ice-cream shaped window.

Over the past 21 months the popularity of the Gilmore Guys podcast (hosted by Kevin and Demi) has united the Gilmore Girls fan base, and formed friendships via social media. 

Rather than make my Stars Hollow papercut into a print, I turned it into postcards in the hope that Gillies would send handwritten messages to one another! I know I'd rather receive a postcard than a tweet any day...

The postcards are made from high-quality, lightly textured card and I am so happy with them! To purchase one visit my etsy shop: OhCutItOut.etsy.com

And now for the important bit: Team Dean, Team Jess or Team Logan?

Until next week...

-Karen

The Big Easy

My latest project was a series of New Orleans inspired papercuts...

Papercut #1:

The first piece I cut was intended to look like an intricate back tattoo.

I pulled the circular text from the drum kit at Preservation Hall, a music venue in the heart of the French Quarter "established in 1961 to honor one of America’s truest art forms – Traditional New Orleans Jazz."*

Although Preservation Hall is located on St. Peters Street, 'Rue Bourbon' (also in the French Quarter) seemed more fitting for this papercut, especially in a tattoo-style font.

Papercut #2:

New Orleans infamous ghost stories and witchcraft legends inspired the bridal skulls of my second papercut.

'Marie Laveau's House of Voodoo' on Bourbon Street is named for New Orlean's notorious Voodoo Queen. Here you can stock up on talismans, candles, tarot cards, incense...

The word 'Lafayette' on the top hat was borrowed from the ironwork gates of Lafayette Cemetery. A pair of ironwork gates were also included on papercut #1.
 

Papercut #3:

The final papercut in the series is presented as a beautiful poster. The Big Easy is one of the city's many nicknames...

Inspiration for this piece was taken from the cemeteries of New Orleans, often referred to as 'cities of the dead'. Due to the high water table "departed loved ones are interred above ground"** (Caskets would literally float if buried in a traditional grave.)

The name 'Toussaint' on the central tomb is for Allen Toussaint; the musician, songwriter and influential figure in New Orleans R&B who sadly passed away last year.

Overall, I'm really pleased with this series of papercuts. The New Orleans influence is clear in each piece, and the repetitive floral pattern and tattoo-style font tie the three pieces together.

 

Which papercut is your favourite?

Until next week...

-Karen

* http://preservationhall.com/hall/history/
**http://www.experienceneworleans.com/deadcity.html